Indexes to the Congressional Record are cumulated daily from the beginning of a session of Congress and can be searched online via the GPO website. Currently, indexes on the web for the daily edition of the Record are available back to the 104th Congress (1995). Printed indexes to the Congressional Record daily edition are published semimonthly. These indexes are eventually cumulated into an annual index once the permanent edition of the Record for a given session of Congress is finalized.

The index consists of two parts: an index to the proceedings and a history of bills and resolutions. The index to proceedings is arranged alphabetically by subject or by the name of a senator or representative. The history of bills and resolutions is separated into Senate bills and House bills, and is arranged by bill and resolution number. These entries will show if there was legislative action on the bill or resolution.

The indexes provide page number references in the Record to items such as the remarks made by a senator or representative on the floor of the House or Senate, or remarks inserted as if spoken (e.g., Extension of Remarks in the House); all bills and amendments introduced by a particular Member of Congress; and the legislative history of bills or resolutions, such as when a measure was introduced, debated, passed, and enacted.